Does It Pay to Specialize?

When it comes to writing, it’s easy to place labels. Is the freelancer a technology blogger or a finance journalist? A lifestyle writer or a food critic? Without a hefty stack of clips to back up an interest, editors may feel a writer is not the best person to pen the pitch. Choosing an experienced writer is a safe bet for any editor, which means it’s hard for a writer to compete in the freelance marketplace without a specialization, according to Kelly James-Enger, author of Ready, Aim, Specialize! and Six Figure Freelancing. 

“You’re competing against millions of other freelancers,” James-Enger wrote in a guest post. “Developing a specialty makes you more memorable and helps set you apart.”

Here are a few more reasons why every freelance writer should consider finding a focus:

Specializing makes for better writing
Those who specialize have the background knowledge necessary to interview, research, and write at a more in-depth level. Carrie Anton, a book editor based out of Madison, WI who has freelanced on the side since 2005, pitched magazines unsuccessfully until she decided to concentrate on health and fitness. Before she knew it, she broke into Self, Women’s Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness.

“I felt very scatterbrained before specializing,” Anton said. “Specializing allows me to focus on topics that I enjoy most, which I believe always makes for a better end product.”

Linda Formichelli, co- author of The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Success, feared being pigeonholed into one industry or bored with a redundant topic. She considers herself “a generalist with different niches: business (specifically marketing) and health (specifically nutrition and wellness).”

“Over the years, I’ve built up a knowledge base in these two areas that I can use to generate ideas, find the best sources, and write with authority,” Formichelli wrote on her blog.

Specializing is efficient
Freelance writers quickly learn that a portion of their time is spent writing — only about 15%, according Formichelli.

Before specializing in health and fitness, Anton pitched at a much slower rate.

“Now I know the formats of the magazines I’m trying to pitch, so the learning curve is obsolete,” she said. “I’ve also built a stable of experts to go to for quotes, explanations, and ideas. ”

As a busy freelance writer,  a reliable connection for a quick response can mean the difference between missing a deadline and filing a great story.

Writers who specialize get more work
As writers build clips and define a specialty, they build platforms and become experts, and, in turn,editors jump on their pitches. Editors are hungry for ideas and if experienced writers can come up with fresh, well-researched story ideas, they’ll be hired in an instant. And may even get paid more, according to James-Enger.

“Editors and other clients will pay more for experience—and if you ask for a higher per-word rate, you can justify it with the fact that you’re already well-versed in the topic,” she said.

There’s always the possibly that a travel editor will give a business reporter a chance on a small, front-of-book piece or that a seasoned writer could break into a new genre by pitching a feature to a local publication. Don’t limit yourself too much, but start forming a few strong specialties and the work will soon flow.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Kimberly Brown-Azzarello
Image courtesy of Flickr, Josef Stuefer